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Interactive information technologyfor quality management and quality assurance

September 18, 2010

Juhani AnttilaAcademician, International Academy for Quality (IAQ)Venture Knowledgist, Quality IntegrationHelsinki, Finlandjuhani.anttila@telecon.fi , www.QualityIntegration.biz

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under the Creative Commons 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

(Mention the origin)

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Interactive information technologyfor quality management and quality assurance

Contents and key themes:

1. Business-integrated QM and QA

2. Information, knowledge and learning in the context of business management

3. From information technology (IT) to interactive technology (IT)

4. Examples ZEF and Dicole

5. Conclusion

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Business management, quality management andquality assurance are based on business knowledge

Successful business management is based on right business related knowledge andmanagement skills to be used effectively and efficiently for the current and anticipatedbusiness needs.

==> Quality management (QM) is a business management issue. It equals quality ofmanagement.

Coordinated activities to direct and control an organization with regardto quality. Direction and control includes establishment of the policy andobjectives, planning, control, assurance and improvement.

==> Quality assurance (QA) is a communication issue between an organization and itsstakeholders.

A part of QM focused on providing confidence among an organization’sstakeholders that quality requirements will be fulfilled.

(Ref.: ISO 9000)

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Quality management (QM) and quality assurance (QA)- Consistent business management issues

Quality management (QM)Output/Product

Input

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Quality assurance (QA) (**)

Customer

Processmanagement

(*) E.g. ISO 9004 for quality management guidance(**) Standard model ISO 9001 or tailored, and quality assurance plan / agreement

Product deliverychannel

QA communicationchannel

“e-Certificate”

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Guiding principles, core values and concepts of theQM are with high information and knowledge content

The QM principles of the ISO 9000 standardization:The fundamental truths and propositions that serveas the foundation for a system of belief andbehavior, and for a chain of reasoning for allprofessional QM approaches in organizations

– Customer focus– Leadership– Involvement of people– Process approach– System approach to management– Continual improvement– Factual approach to decision making– Mutually beneficial supplier relationships

(Ref.: ISO 9000)

Also the performance excellence models, e.g. the Malcolm Baldrige model and EFQM model,are based on similar fundamental core values and concepts as the ISO 9000 standards

The essence of the QM principlesinclude:- Communicating and discussing- Sharing knowledge and pooling

experience- Training and learning- Understanding- Providing confidence

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Good management of an organization is particularly relatedto managing organizational information / knowledge

Procedure document, standard, operationalmodel, recorded operation, factual knowledge,etc. (explicit issue)

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Reality of the issue in the minds of theindividuals and in the practical operations(implicit / tacit contents of the issue)

– This part is the most significantregarding to the actions for theissue realization.

– The contents may change due totime and situation and depending oninfluences and learning.

Conscious

Sub-conscious

(Ref.: http://qualityintegration.biz/TacitKnowledge.html )

Practically Quality Management equals with good management of organizational informationand knowledge:

A serious problem in existing QMapproaches is that explicit information,especially documentation and records,

is overly emphasized and tacitknowledge almost ignored.

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Empirical fact-based information and inherentknowledge are needed for successful management

Measuring

Data

Analysing

Information

Reflecting and decidingIntervention

Plan / Act

Effects

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Knowledge- explicit records- tacit knowledge(know-how, competence)

The performance reality of the company business processes

A P

DC

...

Wisdom- myths- values

”Ba”

Environments

Facts

You get whatyou measure

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“Ba” as a shared context in motion

Knowledge

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Individualcontext

Individualcontext

Shared context

Ba:(originating+dialoguing+systemizing+exercizing) Ba = A shared space for

emerging relationships

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Enhancing and regenerating business knowledgethrough training learning

Continuous organizational and personal learning are prerequisites for the quality ofmanagement and for a sustainable business success in organizations.

Investments in training by traditional or e-learning means have not proved very effective.

- Only basic skills may be learned through traditional training and education means.

- Responsible business people are very busy and they have not enough time to attendcomprehensive training and education programs and they are not very interested to use e-learning systems.

On-the-job learning offers a cost-effective way to link learning to the organizational needsand priorities.

Effective learning requires application of new learning theories like connectivity, interactivity,and sharing knowledge that are based on collaboration.

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3423/17.1.2008/jan (*) Jay Cross: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlETGJ0mnno (**) Ray Oldenburg

"The best learninghappens in real lifewith real problemsand real people andnot in classrooms."Charles Handy

Informal learning – The other 80%

”Cappuccino U is a metaphor for a new approach to learning based oncommunity, networking, self-study, distance education, andtechnology. The Third Place, the coffee shop where people gather towork and chat, we can transpose it to libraries, hotels, and otherlocations (including our homes) where we might work and meet withother people, or may be alone in a crowd – or just alone.” (*)

”3rd place hosts the regular, voluntary, informal, and happilyanticipated gatherings of individuals beyond the realms of home andwork.” (**)

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The knowledge-conversion process:Tacit Explicit

Knowledge conversion process, SECI:

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Tacit Tacit

Taci

t

ExplicitExplicit

Taci

t

ExplicitExplicitSocialization

S Externalization

E

CCombination

IInternalization

ConsciousSub-conscious

Explicit

Tacit

Knowledge

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An example: Traditional IT and communications in /from / to a grouped business community

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E-Mailing- good for in one-to-onecommunication- ineffective in groupcommunication

Intranet domain- difficult to use and maintain- ineffective in use

Homepage in the Internet- passive, stagnant

Phone, SMS- good for acute one-to-onecommunication- disturbing, expensive

Physical meetings- necessary for networking- expensive, time consuming- difficult to arrange

Publications-difficult to know what andwhere, passive, expensive

What are the needs for enhancingeffectiveness and transparency?

The Community

Business environmentInterested parties Stakeholders

IT Systems

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New IT* supported information/knowledge-intensivebusiness operations

3514/20.1.2010/jan (*) IT = Interactive Technology

New integrated and effective solutions:

• Portal solutions, integrated information technology solutions(sustaining technology):

– Complicated– Difficult to use and maintain– Expensive

• Interactive technology solutions: Collaborative groupwork and social networkinginfrastructures, Web 2.0, Enterprise 2.0, RTE - Real Time Ecosystem(disruptive technology):

– Simple– Easy to use– cheap, or free of charge

(open source)

TOP DOWN:FOCUS ON

TECHNOLOGY

BOTTOM UP:FOCUS ON

PEOPLE Human inside

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Cloud computing is an Internet-based provision of shared resources, software andinformation provided to computers and other devices on-demand, “computing on tap”.You pay for what you consume.

SaaS (software as a service) means that a complete software application isoffered as a service, on-demand. A single instance of the software runs on theprovider’s infrastructure and serves multiple client organizations.

Business management applications of the cloud computing are very hot issesright now world-widely.

Cloud computing and SaaS

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Practical examples

Practical examples are considered here from two areas of business activities that areinteresting from the professional quality approaches’ point of view:

o Information and knowledge acquisitions by using interactive surveystechnology

ZEF

o Collaborative cooperation for knowledge-working by using Web 2.0 socialmedia technology

Dicole

There are already many service providersand commercial products available for these

applications. Here described ZEF and Dicole may atleast be used as good experienced benchmarks.

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Example: ZEF evaluation methodology

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ZEF is an advanced interactive evaluation methodology and tool that is originated from strong corecompetences of evaluation technique and human interface technology.

Origin:• ZEF methodology was developed in Finland at Oulu University as Z-scored Electronic

Feedback (= ZEF) tool. Effectiveness of its two dimensional evaluation structure wasvalidated by University of Lapland.

• Commercial ZEF solution is a product of Oulu based company ZEF Solutions Inc.Usage:• ZEF is an all-purpose tool that is suitable for all kinds of organizations.• ZEF evaluation services are web-based solutions operating as SaaS (Software as a Service).

With ZEF on-line tool one may collect, compare and evaluate data effectively and efficientlyfrom even a big group of people.

• ZEF tool has been used by a lot of organizations for business information and hundredsthousands of ordinary citizens in several survey-cases of general societal interest.

(Ref.: http://zefsolutions.com/www/english , http://qiblog.blogspot.com/2007/06/carry-out-appropriate-surveys.html )

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An advanced questioning methodology is more than only collecting information. Itfunctions as a media between specialists and other parties.

By means of an effective surveying tool a specialist can communicate his/herarea of expertise that might be difficult to others to understand, and receivevaluable information as a feedback.

The tacit knowledge of different parties becomes visible (ref. the SECIprocess). Within organizational environments, this comes into questionwhen a professional expertise is used in communication with themanagement, personnel, suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders.

ZEF as a communication media

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Performance evaluation for excellencethrough a multi-faceted and consistent approach

1. Leadership

4. Measurement, analysis,and knowledge management

7. Businessresults

6. Processmanagement

3. Customer andmarket focus

5. Humanresource focus

2. Strategicmanagement

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Overall business performance (e.g. 3-In-1 criteria)

Board operationsStrategic performance

Corporate securityRisk management

Networking capability

Process performanceProject performance

Supplier performanceQuality Assurance:

ISO 9001, AQAPEnvironmental management

People satisfaction360 feedback

OHS assessment

Information securityInnovations

IT Governance

Customer satisfactionMarket communication

Leadership performanceSocial responsibility Product

performance

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Results of ZEF evaluations

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Statistical inferences from ZEF evaluations

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Detailed business information is obtained from ZEF raw data through statistical treatments.All individual respondent answers to the query items in the ZEF evaluations are recorded asseparate data pieces that are then used for statistical analyses as needed:

The basic ZEF report shows the means and standard deviations of all respondents’answers per query items in one or two dimensions as needed. The result data may be normalized according Z-scored transformation that is useful toemphasize relative differences among query items. Answers from respondents may be grouped in arbitrary way or presented asindividual answers. Results of different ZEF evaluations, e.g. of different points in time, may be comparedby using ZEF’s “comparison engine” function. Raw data of evaluations may be presented in the formats of Excel (.xls) or"Concurrent Versioning System" (.cvs) in order to facilitate the use of moresophisticated statistical tools, e.g. SPSS, for data analyses.

ZEF tool’s interactive user-interface enhances user’s deliberation when he/she is respondingto the query items and also enhances understanding the relative differences among queryitems. That makes answering more motivated and justified.

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Category 4: Measurement, analysis, andknowledge management1. We follow up fulfilment of targets anddevelopment of performance on company andprocess levels with adequate measures andindicators.2. We follow up effectiveness and efficiency ofour business processes.3. We have easily available analyzed andcurrent information on performance of ourcompany and its development against targetsand other references.4. Our real-time internal accounting operatesin advance.5. Our employees measure, analyze andevaluate quality of their own work in order tomake decisions and initiate improvementactions for their work in line with ourcompany-wide plans. …

… Etc. other assessment items

Assessesment scheme “3in1”: EFQM, MalcomBaldrige and ISO9000 combined in one scheme

Results of ZEF evaluations (“3-in-1”)

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Example: Knowledge Work Environment, KWE (Dicole)

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Dicole (Discover-Collaborate-Learn) product from Helsinki, Finland based companyDicole Ltd ( www.dicole.com ):

SAAS (Software as a Service) from Dicole’s server in trusted IT hostingenvironments in Helsinki - No software installation needed for a particular XXXapplication Technical support from Dicole as the need arises Connected via https://xxx.dicole.net by the Internet secure protocol Interactive social technology (Web 2.0) based on open software

Operated directly by ourselves (not by secretaries or IT people)

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Collaborative knowledge work environment, “KWE”,for a business community (Web 2.0)

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Community-members’ information and profiles (Net-working)

Links to:• Other tools (calendar, to-do list, diary, Skype,virtual meeting room, etc.)• Social utilites• Legacy IT systems of the organization• Administration of the IT environment• Web pages and documents

Additional features or possibilities:• Sub-groups• Tagging• Discussion forums• Aggregators (RSS feeding)• Mashups

Common shared knowledge-base accumulated and updatedby the community-members (Wiki)

Knowledge feeds from community-members' findings,observations, and reflection, and comments (Blog)

Published presentations etc. (Media)

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Sharing information(Blogs)

Feeding information(Aggregators)

Participantscollaboratefor creatingnew knowledge

New knowledge artefacts

Reflecting and contributing

(Blogs)

Collecting knowledge assets(Wiki)

New knowledge creation and distribution by the social media tools

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Wiki

Blogs

On-line authorized members

Other tools, e.g.aggregator, andadministration

Icons to individual tool-windows

KWE user-interface

https://verkko.dicole.net

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Typical cases where the KWE approach has proved useful are cases where participatingpeople are operating in networks and work is strongly knowledge-intensive:

Corporate-internal expert groups• E.g. product designers, sales people, human resource people, quality managers,and maintenance people

Project groups Process teams Organizations' supplier or customer networks Benchmarking clubs of different organizations Collaborating business-clusters Networked SME's

• E.g. small cooperating consulting or expert companies Educational institutes supporting learning of networked business

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Other business areas for the use of KWE

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Conclusion

A good business management (quality management, QM) may be summarized with a triplePDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) approach that includes:

1. Control to achieve required results2. Continual performance improvement (Kaizen)3. Breakthrough change management

Although different managerial practices are used in the P, D, C, and A steps they allextensively encompass information and knowledge aspects:

– Control and continual improvement emphasize factual data and rational actionsalthough also certain managerial and collaborative knowledge are needed.

– Breakthrough transformations predominantly require new knowledge, learningand creative actions.

Quality assurance (QA) consists essentially of communications between an organization and itsstakeholders based on both explicit and tacit knowledge.

For both QM and QA, we have unlimited and still much not-yet-invented possibilities to beattained by utilizing new disruptive information acquisition and social media technologies. Inthis development we are still in a beginning stage.

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Juhani Anttila, Independent ExpertIndependent expert, Venture Knowledgist

• Expertise of more than 40 years in the field of quality• 35 years at different quality related positions at Telecom Finland and Sonera Corporation• Several decades’ involvement with international and national standardization of quality,

reliability, information security and telecommunications• Many years Assembly Representative and Vice President of the European Organization

for Quality (EOQ)• A founder and developer of the Finnish National Quality Award, Developer and assessor

of the European Quality Award• International Academician for Quality (Member of the International Academy for Quality)• Honorary Member of the Finnish Society for Quality• Board member or chairman in some companies• Expert adviser in several organizations in quality management, dependability

management, information security management, crisis management and social media• Lecturer in some universities• Expert in projects in some developing countries• Contributing by writings, lectures, and speeches globally on five continents

3678x/3.9.2010/jan (Ref.: http://www.qualityintegration.biz/contacts.html )